Practical Stay At Home Momhttp://practicalstayathomemom.com
My journey of trying to stay balanced as a stay-at-home mom with hypothyroidism all while eating gluten-freeMon, 15 Oct 2018 19:16:07 +0000en-US
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1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.2.3http://practicalstayathomemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/cropped-cropped-peonies-1-32x32.jpgPractical Stay At Home Momhttp://practicalstayathomemom.com
3232123985588Mom Guilt Is A Terrible Thinghttp://practicalstayathomemom.com/mom-guilt/
http://practicalstayathomemom.com/mom-guilt/#respondTue, 31 Jul 2018 20:49:56 +0000http://practicalstayathomemom.com/?p=459 The Beginning of Mom Guilt For me, mom guilt started as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I started analyzing everything I had done the previous four weeks. Then I worried for nine months if anything I did caused any harm to my baby! For Awhile it got Worse After being in ... [Read more...]

The Beginning of Mom Guilt

For me, mom guilt started as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I started analyzing everything I had done the previous four weeks. Then I worried for nine months if anything I did caused any harm to my baby!

For Awhile it got Worse

After being in labor for over 24 hours and being dilated to 10 for five hours I had to have a C-section. My son had (and still has) a large head so he would not drop down. He even had a bruise at the top of his forehead from sitting in the birth canal for so long and probably pushing against my pelvic bone all that time. Having a C-section made me feel like a failure right off the bat. It wasn’t my fault that my body wasn’t able to fit my son’s large head through the birth canal. All I could think of though, was women like my mom who could give birth quickly and without any complications. I felt there must have been something wrong with me!

Much Worse

Then because of the C-section and my hypothyroidism, I didn’t produce milk for 10 days! No doctor told me that a C-section could delay your milk coming in and that hypothyroidism could make it harder to breast feed. I struggled and before we even left the hospital the nurses gave him a bottle without checking with either me or my husband. It only got harder after we went home.

My wonderful husband (who at the time I didn’t think was so wonderful) talked me into pumping temporarily and supplementing with formula when we needed to. He didn’t think any less of me for not being able to produce enough milk for our son. He also supported me by feeding and caring for our son while I would pump. Which I did every two to three hours for 30-40 minutes at a time. I even set an alarm and got up in the night to pump after my son was sleeping through the night! I never could produce enough to keep my little guy satisfied and sadly, that gave me extreme mom guilt.

Eventually I was able to forgive myself. I realized that I truly tried my best. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t (still can’t) make my body do something it can’t. It didn’t make me less of a mother and it definitely didn’t mean I didn’t love my son. I also stumbled onto a couple formulas in Europe that seem healthier than those in the US, this is the one I ended up feeding my son: Hipp formula.

The Problem with Mom Guilt

The problem with mom guilt is, it is constantly waiting around the corner ready to pounce on you for any perceived wrong move. If you manage to deal with a particular problem (i.e. breastfeeding) it will just rear it’s ugly head as some other issue (i.e. needing daycare) very soon. Like when my son started to walk. Not having family near by meant I had to take him everywhere with me. That became increasingly difficult as my son got older. Before he could walk it was easy to take him to doctors, dentists or car appointments. When he started walking at 11 months it was much harder because he would not sit for long at all.

I was avoiding going to any appointment unless I could go on the weekend or evenings or it was pretty urgent. Occasionally a friend could watch him or my husband could come home from work but I knew that couldn’t last. One time I decided to take him to a dental appointment because I knew it would literally be five minutes or less. While I was in the exam chair he got up from his chair and pulled down anything he could reach. Nothing broke, thankfully!

Something Had to Change

Finally, after a lot of back and forth my husband convinced me to put him in daycare one day a week. It would be in the home of someone we knew and friends of ours took their daughter there too. I still had an extremely hard time with it. Talk about mom guilt! I wasn’t working outside of the home and still I couldn’t look after my own child full time. What kind of mom was I? My guilt lasted a little while but at some point I became thankful my husband talked me into it.

Time for School!

Now, over 3 years later, my son is about to start pre-school. It will be 5 days a week and I’m ecstatic! He’s four and extremely active, I’m 40 and very tired. He is a great kid. He is also very smart. That means he needs constant activity for his brain. On the occasion that I let him watch tv for more than an hour (I’m probably sick or have to get something done) he gets bored with tv. Plus as an only child, the interaction with other kids will be really good for him. We have friends with children that we hang out with at times but we’re all so busy that it’s hard to get together. I know I will miss him and there will be days I will want to just hang out with him but I know school will be awesome for him and pretty good for me too.

Letting Go of Mom Guilt

Eventually I realized that one day a week at daycare benefited me and those around me. It’s not going to take me awhile to realize that with school. I know it now! I will be able to care for my health and get many other things done. My husband has a pretty demanding job which includes traveling for work four or five times a year. He also spends a few hours working from home most weekends and even some evenings after he comes home from work. That means I’m doing the parenting then too. So even with my son gone one day a week, it still didn’t leave me much time to write. Now I should have time to write a post more than every six months!

More time for writing

One of the things I liked the most about my son in daycare was that I was able to help friends and family. I made meals if they had surgery, were sick or just because I wanted to. We have some single friends who work full-time and I know they don’t always get a home cooked meal! I have also sent care packages to family who were sick or dealing with difficult situations. And I have been a chauffeur for friends and their kids for school or doctors appointments. Soon with my son in school 5 days a weeks I will be able to do a lot more of that.

Keep Perspective

Remember your kids will eventually grow up and leave your house. Will it matter that you didn’t take them to the park one day? That you got mad at them for coloring on the wall? Most likely not. We all do small things on a daily basis that we wish we did different. Beating ourselves up for these things will only hurt us and make us doubt ourselves. Think about all the things you do right on a daily basis, make a list if you need to. Snuggling on the couch, making healthy meals, teaching them manners, making sure they hold your hand when you cross a street and so many more. Yes we can all do better, just keep trying. Please don’t beat yourself up if you have a set back. We are all imperfect but as long as you are trying your best, that’s enough!

]]>http://practicalstayathomemom.com/mom-guilt/feed/0459Exercise And Good Sleep Do A Body Goodhttp://practicalstayathomemom.com/exerciseandgoodsleep/
http://practicalstayathomemom.com/exerciseandgoodsleep/#respondMon, 05 Feb 2018 22:45:26 +0000http://practicalstayathomemom.com/?p=469Make Yourself and Exercise a Priority I’m very thankful to be alive and I want to live a long, healthy life. Yet I have those days when I look in the mirror and all I can think is “I hate getting older”. All I see are wrinkles and rolls. On the up side, I do ... [Read more...]

I’m very thankful to be alive and I want to live a long, healthy life. Yet I have those days when I look in the mirror and all I can think is “I hate getting older”. All I see are wrinkles and rolls. On the up side, I do have those days when I catch a glimpse in my full length mirror and I think “I look pretty good!”

Maybe not this many wrinkles or rolls!

I suppose how I feel that day plays a big part in what I see. Reminding myself I have hypothyroidism, had a baby via C-section at 36 years old and I’m quickly approaching 40 helps me to keep perspective. But I know I should be exercising regularly to stay healthy.

When I was approaching 30 it was hard for me mentally. I had a full-time job and owned a house but 30 just seemed so “grown-up”. As I approach 40 it’s been hard on me physically. The only regular “exercise” I’ve gotten in the last year is keeping up with an active toddler and occasionally lifting and carrying him (he’s over 45lbs!). Now I feel like my body is breaking down…so much so that I’ve started physical therapy. Although it probably would not have come to that if I made exercise a priority.

Why is it so Hard to go to the Doctor?

I started having pain in my hips during my third trimester of pregnancy. After I had my son the pain would come and go so I never thought much of it. About a year ago it started to be more constant and increasing in intensity. Maybe because I stopped exercising regularly?? The pain would even shoot down to my knee at times. Eventually I was in so much pain that I couldn’t lay on my right side, even on something soft like my bed or the couch. I would stretch, which helped but as time went on it wasn’t doing much. My husband kept telling me to go to the doctor but I always had an excuse. Plus I just don’t like going to the doctor or being in a hospital for any reason. And like most moms, I put myself last.

Finally I reasoned that if I didn’t deal with it soon, I wouldn’t be able to function. Then I wouldn’t be able to take care of my family and I didn’t want that. After almost a year of pain I went to my doctor and she believed it was bursitis in my hip. She wanted x-rays done to confirm that I didn’t have arthritis or bone issues in my hip or back. If they came back clear she wanted me to start physical therapy. My x-rays came back with no issues and now I’m three weeks into physical therapy.

Stretching and Exercising are Now a Priority

I used to run weekly

After only six visits to PT, I can say my hip is exceptionally better. My therapist is wonderful and has taught me a lot. She has also instructed me on stretches and exercises that I should do daily to help my hip. For the most part I do them everyday but there are some days I forget or get busy. I’m still adjusting to making exercise a priority but I’m hoping to be running again soon.

An item she suggested I buy is a stretch strap, I had no idea what that was before therapy. It is great for getting a really good stretch by yourself. If you’ve been to therapy you know what I mean! A therapist can push on your extremities to really stretch you. At home you might not have someone that can do that for you when you need to stretch. This is where a stretch strap is very helpful.

I Love Sleep

Another big help is our new bed, a Sleep Number. My husband had owned one long before we got married and always said it was the best bed he ever slept on. I had never slept on one and couldn’t justify spending that much money on a bed. Until my hip pain made it hard to sleep.

A good night sleep is a wonderful thing

In January I saw a commercial for a sale Sleep Number had going on. I mentioned it to my husband and that Saturday we were at the mall testing the beds. Two days later after deliberating, we were back at the store purchasing our bed. It took just over a week for delivery but that first night we both slept great. My husband only took 2 or 3 nights to find his number and has slept great since, except for the few nights he went out of town for work. I had a harder time finding my number. I think it was because my hip was hurting so bad before the bed. Now I have my number and I’m sleeping almost like I did before pregnancy!

Don’t Wait!

Take the time

Please don’t wait until it’s too late to exercise. Otherwise you could end up in extreme pain like me and it will take extra time just to heal. We all should invest some time and if need be, money, into our health. Our kids need us not only to be there for them but to be able to play and have fun too. Plus studies show that exercise improves sleep so it can do double duty for our health!

]]>http://practicalstayathomemom.com/exerciseandgoodsleep/feed/0469Fall Activities For The Familyhttp://practicalstayathomemom.com/fall-activitiesforthefamily/
http://practicalstayathomemom.com/fall-activitiesforthefamily/#commentsFri, 27 Oct 2017 15:09:44 +0000http://practicalstayathomemom.com/?p=435Fall is Here! I can’t believe it’s been two months since I’ve written a post! That is far from my goal of one post a week. I thought it was because my summer was busy but summer is long gone. Now the beautiful season of fall is in full swing and I’m still busy. Slowly ... [Read more...]

I can’t believe it’s been two months since I’ve written a post! That is far from my goal of one post a week. I thought it was because my summer was busy but summer is long gone. Now the beautiful season of fall is in full swing and I’m still busy. Slowly I’m understanding that my life is just going to be this way and I have no idea when it will end! Before I know it winter will be here and I’ll just want to hibernate. Maybe then I’ll at least be able to write . Until then I need to get my son outside as much as possible.

Playing Outside

I love when the leaves are so colorful

The weather is almost perfect for playing outside now. It’s definitely not too hot and most of the time it’s not too cold. My son gets hot very easy so this is definitely the perfect time for him to play outside. We have a decent size yard but for some reason we don’t play in it very often?? We usually go to the park or even just go for walks around the neighborhood. My son loves picking up acorns, sticks and leaves when we walk so I thought he would enjoy a nature scavenger hunt. I’m not very creative but I found lots of ideas on Pinterest and many of them have free printable sheets. There are also lots of fall festivals going on and many of them have corn mazes, hayrides and petting zoos. We went to one that had pony rides, which my son loved.

Pony Ride

Playing Inside

Some days just aren’t conducive to playing outside. Fortunately we live within an hour drive (or less) from many children’s museums, aquariums and zoos. In fact one of the best aquariums in the country, Adventure Aquarium in Camden is one of them. I haven’t taken him to any of these before even though I wanted to. We have, however, taken him to these kinds of things when we travel. Maybe I felt like I needed my husband’s help to go to these places?? Now I’m determined to do it on my own, especially since he is at a great age for these kinds of activities. He still takes naps but he’s to the point where if we miss a nap for a special occasion it isn’t horrible for me! So when it’s rainy or a little too cold to play outside we will be taking a few field trips this fall.

I look forward to reading your comments about what fall activities you like to do with your kids.

]]>http://practicalstayathomemom.com/fall-activitiesforthefamily/feed/2435Vegan Pesto From Scratch, Enjoy It Before Summer Is Gonehttp://practicalstayathomemom.com/vegan-pesto/
http://practicalstayathomemom.com/vegan-pesto/#respondSat, 19 Aug 2017 20:55:52 +0000http://practicalstayathomemom.com/?p=421Summer is Sadly Flying by Me I cannot believe it’s the middle of August! Summer is going way too fast and I feel like my family hasn’t got to really enjoy it.?. Is that how you guys feel too? Sadly I have no solution to this problem. I do, however, plan to keep trying to ... [Read more...]

I cannot believe it’s the middle of August! Summer is going way too fast and I feel like my family hasn’t got to really enjoy it.?. Is that how you guys feel too? Sadly I have no solution to this problem. I do, however, plan to keep trying to enjoy what’s left. That includes the food that is still coming out of my garden, like basil which I use for vegan pesto.

The Fruits of My Labor

I think I mentioned in my last post The Perks Of Summer how much I love summer. Some of that love stems from using fresh ingredients from my garden to make yummy food from scratch. One of those yummy foods is vegan pesto (I’m not vegan but I seem to have developed a dairy intolerance/sensitivity). You will have to forgive me if the recipe isn’t spot on because I am not the best at writing things down. Generally I have a good idea of the ingredients for a recipe in my head. When I get all the ingredients mixed up, I taste it then adjust as needed. This time I remembered to write it down but only after I got my pesto done…ugh! I know that wasn’t the best time to write it down but I forgot I needed a recipe so I could share with others.

First I mix the walnuts and pepitas with my Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender with chopper until they are finely chopped. Then I add half the basil and half the olive oil and chop until mostly chopped then add the other half of the basil and oil and all the rest of the ingredients and chop until it resembles pesto. Sometimes more oil is needed to get the smooth consistency but as it’s chopping you should be able to tell. I also taste it to make sure the flavor is good then add anything if needed and chop a little more.

Notes:

My basil leaves are from my garden so they needed to be rinsed well. I didn’t dry them off after rinsing, I just shook them to get most of the water out then chopped while still moist. They are also large, a few were almost as long as my hand, however, most were about 3 inches long. I don’t use pine nuts because they are pricey and I like the flavor of walnuts and pumpkin seeds better. Fresh lemons are not something I keep on hand because I’m not a big lemon fan so the eo works very well. I don’t add much salt because the nutritional yeast has salt in it and the pumpkin seeds are salted. My husband and I don’t care for much pepper on anything so that’s why I just use a dash to add a little flavor without actual pepper taste.

I hope you enjoy and I look forward to hearing your comments on any adjustments

]]>http://practicalstayathomemom.com/vegan-pesto/feed/0421The Perks Of Summerhttp://practicalstayathomemom.com/summer-perks/
http://practicalstayathomemom.com/summer-perks/#commentsTue, 18 Jul 2017 21:20:48 +0000http://practicalstayathomemom.com/?p=405Summer is the Best Time of the Year If you couldn’t tell, summer is definitely my favorite time of year. Not only for the weather but all the outdoor activities. Plus who doesn’t love long hours of daylight? Growing up in Michigan we were on the Western edge of the Eastern time zone. In the ... [Read more...]

If you couldn’t tell, summer is definitely my favorite time of year. Not only for the weather but all the outdoor activities. Plus who doesn’t love long hours of daylight? Growing up in Michigan we were on the Western edge of the Eastern time zone. In the summer that meant daylight until almost 10pm around summer solstice! On the East coast though it gets light very early in the morning. I’m not a morning person but I’m learning to be due to my son. He wakes up between 6-7am most days and unfortunately it’s usually closer to 6 .

My Garden

I love growing my own food, however, it wasn’t always that way. My parents started growing a garden when I was in high school because we moved to the country and bought a house that was on two acres. As a teenager I hated working in the garden, it meant snakes, bugs and getting dirty. Not too many teenage girls would find that appealing.

When I bought my own house, it was in an actual city where I could walk to a grocery store, if I wanted! It had a small yard and I found myself wanting to grow some vegetables. I only had an area that was 12-18″ deep by 15 feet wide but I still grew tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, sugar snap peas, potatoes, mint, rosemary, oregano & cilantro. I loved it because I could make meals with food I grew (see my vegan pesto recipe) It was a very satisfying feeling.

My green beans

My green onions and cucumbers

My tomatoes, peppers & basil

Now my husband and I have a house that sits on a half acre so I have a little more room for gardening. This year I’m growing tomatoes, bell peppers, hot banana peppers, basil, lettuce, green beans, onions, cucumbers, mint, thyme and cilantro. I tried planting sugar snap peas at least 4 times but something kept eating them! So far we’ve only eaten the herbs, cucumbers and peppers, however, tonight we get to eat some green beans! I have lots of tomatoes on but none have turned red yet so I’m patiently waiting because I make a really good pico de gallo. I think pico is a great food to define summer and I could just about live on it along with some Late July sea salt & lime tortilla chips.

So Many Activities

I’m sure most of you experience the same summer rush we do. I don’t know why we try to cram so much in to every weekend. Maybe it’s because the weather is nicer and there is more hours of light?? What I do know though is it’s crazy around our house in the summer! Last weekend we had a graduation party on Saturday. On Sunday we were invited to one friend’s house for lunch and another for dinner. I couldn’t show up empty handed so I made food for each occasion. For dinner on Sunday I had been asked to bring a dessert. I had just bought a gluten-free chocolate cake mix to try so I needed a gluten-free & dairy-free frosting. I had vegan cream cheese on hand too so I ended up making peanut butter frosting with it and it was delicious (I’ll post the recipe later).

The week before that we drove to Phillipsburg so our son could go to Day Out with Thomas (I wouldn’t go again) because he loves Thomas & Friends. We have friends (with 3 kids) not far from there and we don’t get to see them often. After our train ride they invited us over for dinner and the adults actually got to talk while the kids played! This week were going to Six Flags and because we don’t have any plans for the weekend we will be working on our house and yard/garden. Next week we’re busy Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Then we have family coming for a week at the beginning of August.

Summer Goes So Fast

Our schedule continues like that until almost the end of September but for the most part I like it. I love spending time with friends and family and the experiences that come along with it. My only unfulfilled request is to sit outside with my husband (after my son has gone to bed) while it’s still really warm with a mojito in hand to just enjoy each others company at least once before this summer fades away.

]]>http://practicalstayathomemom.com/summer-perks/feed/1405New Treats To Satisfy My Cravingshttp://practicalstayathomemom.com/craving-treats/
http://practicalstayathomemom.com/craving-treats/#respondTue, 13 Jun 2017 20:59:14 +0000http://practicalstayathomemom.com/?p=384I Love Sweet Treats As long as I can remember I have loved sweets. As a toddler my dad would sit on the couch eating ice cream and I would stand on the couch next to him so he could share with me. That’s probably how ice cream got to be one of my favorite ... [Read more...]

As long as I can remember I have loved sweets. As a toddler my dad would sit on the couch eating ice cream and I would stand on the couch next to him so he could share with me. That’s probably how ice cream got to be one of my favorite treats. His favorite flavor is butter pecan and I grew to love it as well, along with many other flavors. Along the way, cheesecake became another favorite treat of mine. As a kid I would mix some cream cheese with sugar and then spread it on a saltine or I would put plain cream cheese then strawberry jelly on top of the saltine for a snack. I don’t remember how I came up with that but I was probably only 7 or 8.

As an adult I learned to make a pretty good no-bake cheesecake, I never wanted to wait for it to bake to eat it! Then when I married my husband I hit the jackpot (in many ways). His father had been a baker in NYC for a little while when he was young and he continued to bake as he got older. His cheesecakes are famous among those who know him. After I couldn’t eat gluten I would just scrape the crust off and eat the rest. In the last few months, however, I seem to have developed sensitivity to dairy also. I thought cheesecake, like so many other things, was just something I would have to give up.

I. Was. Wrong.

While grocery shopping one day I found a gluten and dairy free cheesecake made by daiya and I was excited! Then I thought about it for a moment, how could a gluten and dairy free cheesecake actually taste good? I assumed it couldn’t so I left it in the freezer and kept shopping. About a month later, while grocery shopping again, I was having a craving for something sweet. I felt frustrated because I couldn’t eat so many things. Then I remembered the cheesecake and decided to buy it. When I got home I cut it into the recommended four servings. I put three back in the freezer and tried to wait for the other piece to thaw. Waiting isn’t my specialty so after a few minutes I started to eat it.

I was definitely wrong, it was delicious! I was so happy to have a treat that I could eat if I wanted something sweet. The crust is probably my least favorite part but the “cheeze” part is very creamy and has very good texture for being non-dairy. I have since bought their strawberry cheesecake and I like it, but I would rather have the plain and put fresh strawberries on it because I just love fresh fruit. That’s me though.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Treats

Who doesn’t love peanut butter and chocolate? I personally think it’s one of the greatest combos every created! Thankfully I’m not allergic to peanuts so I can have this combo still. I know chocolate can contain dairy but another good thing for me is I like dark chocolate, which usually doesn’t have much dairy. And even better is Justin’s mini dark chocolate peanut butter cups which have no dairy in the ingredients, yay! You will find a cross-contamination warning on the bag but I’m not that sensitive to dairy so I indulge on occasion.

Lessons Learned

Living with these sensitivities isn’t fun and can be depressing if I focus on what I can’t eat. That’s especially true if I’m with a group of people who can eat all the things I can’t. Exploring new foods that I can eat and keeping them on hand has helped. Those new treats can keep me from overindulging in a bunch of unhealthy foods. On those occasions where I do get a craving, if I can’t find the right treat I keep eating snacks trying to figure out a substitute for what I can’t have. My new treats help me to eat a small portion and then get back to my healthy foods.

]]>http://practicalstayathomemom.com/craving-treats/feed/0384Reflecting On My Goals By The Poolhttp://practicalstayathomemom.com/goals/
http://practicalstayathomemom.com/goals/#respondThu, 25 May 2017 02:22:56 +0000http://practicalstayathomemom.com/?p=356A Trip to Orlando We got home Saturday evening from a trip to Orlando. It has taken a few days but I think I have fully recovered. Yesterday I wouldn’t have said that, I felt terrible yesterday. Between the change in weather (it was cool in NJ), needing more thyroid meds and the hassle of ... [Read more...]

We got home Saturday evening from a trip to Orlando. It has taken a few days but I think I have fully recovered. Yesterday I wouldn’t have said that, I felt terrible yesterday. Between the change in weather (it was cool in NJ), needing more thyroid meds and the hassle of traveling I felt like I needed to stay in bed. But of course I couldn’t! I did start this post though which is a step in attaining a few goals of mine (write at least one post a week and be a successful blogger).

We spent last week at the Caribe Royale in Orlando because my husband had a work conference at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center. The weather was in the low 90’s everyday and sunny most of the time. That allowed my son and I to get some pool time in while my husband was working. The pool had a water slide and they also had a kiddie pool and playground next to it which was great for my son.

Playing in the kiddie pool

and at the playground

Enjoying dinner by the pool

Pool Time

Spending time at the pool, however, allowed me to see all these women (mostly moms) in swimsuits. I’m not very comfortable in a swimsuit so I started to feel pretty bad about myself. I kept thinking “I am so fat”. After a couple days, I had a realization, I am not fat! Yes, I have put on 20lbs since my husband and I got married (just over 5 years ago) but I had a baby via C-section at 36 years old. I also have hypothyroidism and I am now 39 years old! These things were not easy on my body.

I had no idea how old these women were and whether or not they had any health problems affecting their bodies. Maybe they have family who live nearby who help with their kids so they get time to workout. Maybe their kids are easier going than mine is and they can still push them in a stroller while they walk or run. There are so many factors that can affect our bodies. Yet here I was comparing myself to every other woman at the pool and feeling like I shouldn’t be in a swimsuit! Why???

Focus on Your Goals

For the most part I eat pretty healthy and thankfully my son is picking up the good habit. After a few mornings of not having his smoothie for breakfast, he was asking for it!! That made me feel pretty good. Ok back to my point. I do eat junk food on occasion but who doesn’t? I avoid gluten due to an intolerance and just a couple months ago I had to give up dairy because it also started making me sick. You would think I’d be dropping pounds pretty easily with avoiding so much food! But I’m not and that is ok with me.

My goals don’t include being a model or even looking like one. Maybe when I was younger and single I wanted to look like one but now I know that’s not important. Goals I do have, however, are being a great wife and mother. To make sure my husband and son know they are loved and feel happiness everyday. I want to teach my son how important it is to do the right thing in even the littlest of things. He needs to know that there is so much more to this world than himself and the things he sees on a daily basis (that’s part of why I love traveling). That helping others will bring him so much more happiness than focusing on himself. These goals matter so much more than what I look like.

Continue to Set New Goals

Of course, I would love to look at myself in a swimsuit and see no flaws but I know that’s not going to happen. Sadly it didn’t happen when I was 18 years old either, when I actually looked great in a swimsuit! One of my new goals is to be physically, emotionally and mentally healthy and strong for myself and my family. This is a goal that will be a continual process but I’m looking forward to the journey.

]]>http://practicalstayathomemom.com/goals/feed/0356Potty Training Troubleshttp://practicalstayathomemom.com/potty-training-troubles/
http://practicalstayathomemom.com/potty-training-troubles/#respondTue, 16 May 2017 21:49:41 +0000http://practicalstayathomemom.com/?p=329Potty Training is Tough! I’m sure anyone who has tried to potty train a toddler probably knows this, however, I never expected it to be this tough. My son is now three years old and is still not potty trained. We have been trying different methods for about a year, although not real persistently. Actually we ... [Read more...]

I’m sure anyone who has tried to potty train a toddler probably knows this, however, I never expected it to be this tough. My son is now three years old and is still not potty trained. We have been trying different methods for about a year, although not real persistently. Actually we started before we bought our house, when he was about a year and a half. Then we bought our fixer upper and potty training quickly went out the window.

After we settled in our house we tried again. He got pretty comfortable peeing on the full sized potty if we sat him on it. Although if we tried to put him on the potty for “poopy” he would scream like we were trying to hurt him. Then he even started not wanting to go pee on the potty for me! I was pretty frustrated and thought nothing was going to work.

Finally!!…Maybe?

One Saturday morning, shortly after my son turned 3, my husband somehow (I really don’t know how) convinced him to sit on the potty to poop. He sat on the potty and he went! I couldn’t believe it. We decided to leave his diaper off until we needed to leave the house and he continued to use the potty until he got a diaper on. Most days since then he has gone poop on the potty but only because I keep him naked from the waist down as soon as he wakes up. As much as I remind him to tell me when he has to go potty, he won’t tell me. If I ask him if he has to go he says “no”. If he’s naked, I don’t have to ask he’ll actually head for the toilet on his own and use a stepstool to sit on it.

This is not my preferred method but it works for him and that’s what matters. Many days I can only keep him naked so long because we have errands to run or things to do, then we come home for lunch and nap. Sometimes after his nap I will undress him from the waist down again but many times I forget. I know he’s starting to get it but it’s probably going to be a little while still. Just something I have to accept, as much as I hate buying or changing diapers.

So Much Hype

Those claims of “potty training your child in 3 days” are mostly hype. Basically you have to stay home and keep your child naked for 3 days straight and at the end your kid will be potty trained, yay!! Yeah right. If you read through the method they say you will probably need to keep your kid naked from the waist down, while you are home for the next 3 months!

Another method talks about letting them pick out underwear they really like. Then put your toddler in them first thing in the morning after they go on the potty. Throughout the day you need to constantly ask them if they need to go. You also put them on the potty every 30-45 minutes. I tried this. I let him pick out his favorite underwear and put them on but I ended up with 2 soaked pairs of underwear and wet floors before I gave up on this idea. I’m glad I did because to this day he always tells me “no” when I ask if he needs to go potty. Even when he’s naked he’ll tell me no and then 30 seconds later he’s running to the toilet.

It’s Not Your Fault

If you are struggling with potty training like my husband and I are, be assured most other parents have struggled too. If you have a boy, it’s probably an even harder struggle. I’m sure none of our children will be in diapers by the time they go to school…right? I do wish we had tried keeping him naked sooner. I mistakenly thought we had to do it for 3 days straight while staying at home. That’s not really possible for us, especially on the weekends. I would guess that’s not really possible for most people actually. So just keep trying different things and if all else fails keep your toddler naked when it works for you! I’d love to hear any tips to help with potty training so please leave me your comments.

]]>http://practicalstayathomemom.com/potty-training-troubles/feed/0329Inspiration And Motivationhttp://practicalstayathomemom.com/inspiration/
http://practicalstayathomemom.com/inspiration/#respondWed, 03 May 2017 13:00:56 +0000http://practicalstayathomemom.com/?p=314My Initial Inspiration for this Post Sadly, it has been a little while since I’ve written. We had friends staying with us for two weeks and life was a little busier than normal! Our guests headed home last Saturday. That allowed me the privilege of attending a women’s power brunch in the Bronx on Sunday. It was a networking mixer ... [Read more...]

Sadly, it has been a little while since I’ve written. We had friends staying with us for two weeks and life was a little busier than normal! Our guests headed home last Saturday. That allowed me the privilege of attending a women’s power brunch in the Bronx on Sunday. It was a networking mixer hosted by Concrete Rose Soirees. A friend of mine was one of the guest speakers and she is an inspiration for working moms and SAHMs alike. Her name is Toni Robinson and she is a remarkable example of a mom and entrepreneur. She is the owner of Stilettos & Screwdrivers, LLC (an electronic device repair company). She got her start working as an electronic technician for the New York MTA. Later in life she became a mom and realized she wanted to do something that allowed her to spend more time with her kids. Her desire led to her starting Stilettos & Screwdrivers, LLC. She has also written two books and her latest is titled Mom in Chief: Creating a Healthy Work Life Balance.

I’m looking forward to reading it when I get some time. In the meantime, her speech on Sunday has inspired me to write!

More Motivation

The other speaker at the brunch was a woman named Yolanda Flournah-Perkins. She calls herself a “communicator of hope and influence”, what most people call a motivational speaker. She was excellent motivation for me. This woman spent time in a federal prison, yes prison! Though from her own admission she came from a good family and grew up in a small town, where I can only imagine she didn’t see many criminals. She suffered from low self-esteem though, something I understand well, which led her to make poor decisions and that led to prison. She has used her experiences, good and bad, to help others to change their lives for the better. I can testify that she is an impressive communicator of hope and influence. After hearing her speak I immediately wanted to get to work on my blog. Although the first thing I had to do after getting home was clean the kitchen because my husband had made dinner for himself and my son (thanks hon!). I’m sure you moms know what I’m talking about!

More Inspiration and Motivation

I went to the brunch with three of my friends who are all Young Living members (I am too but it’s not my main interest). Two of them are also stay-at-home moms, one has two kids and the other has 3 boys! Yet they find time to sell Young Living oils to support their oil habit and to do something they enjoy. Which was a drive for me to start my blog because as a SAHM you will get burn-out fast if you don’t do something you enjoy regularly. Although we went to the brunch for inspiration, it was fun for all of us to hang out for a few hours. That is something we don’t get to do very often. Here’s a picture of us all, including my friend Toni, who’s in the front of the rest of us.

My Biggest Motivation

Of course my son is my main inspiration. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have even started a blog. I know many moms feel the same way so please keep up the good work. If you have a chance to hear other moms speak, take the opportunity because you will feel inspired to keep pressing forward with your goals!

]]>http://practicalstayathomemom.com/inspiration/feed/0314My First IKEA Hackhttp://practicalstayathomemom.com/ikea-hack/
http://practicalstayathomemom.com/ikea-hack/#respondWed, 05 Apr 2017 21:03:20 +0000http://practicalstayathomemom.com/?p=256Furniture shopping is a nuisance My husband and I bought a fixer upper about a year and a half ago. It took us months to get almost everything on the inside remodeled. Now I’m finally working on the finishing touches. My current project is our living room. Prior to buying our house we lived in a two bedroom condo with a ... [Read more...]

My husband and I bought a fixer upper about a year and a half ago. It took us months to get almost everything on the inside remodeled. Now I’m finally working on the finishing touches. My current project is our living room. Prior to buying our house we lived in a two bedroom condo with a very small living area. Our furniture made our new living room look like a bachelor pad. It was time to go shopping and we started with a sectional. We finally settled for one that my husband and I could agree on based on comfort and price. We didn’t opt to buy the matching ottoman because it was overpriced and oversized. My practical side was determined to find something that was the right size, inexpensive yet still cute. I did, an IKEA hack that was just right.

IKEA Hack to the rescue

The hack came from Krys Melo at melodrama. She used only the larger table of the VITTSJÖ nesting tables to create an ottoman. Hers is gorgeous, much better looking than mine. Her instructions are good too. You can check out her hack here:

My Take on it

I, however, have a little boy who’s about to turn three so I had to change a few things. Instead of switching the glass and the wood around I installed the wood shelf as IKEA instructs. I put the glass shelf into the recycling and bought a sheet of MDF from Home Depot for the top. My husband used a table saw to cut it to the same dimensions as the glass. I purchased a piece of foam from Walmart, batting and fabric that I liked at Jo-Ann on sale for $6.99/yard.

I didn’t bother to drill holes into the top tabs so that I could put screws into MDF. A little super glue on the tabs worked great to hold it into place while I worked. The foam was the perfect length of the frame so I only had to cut one side, which was good because I don’t have a straight hand. I laid the foam on top of the frame and used a permanent marker to mark the foam. I had bought a knife at IKEA when I bought the nesting tables just because I needed a new one in my kitchen. Not at all thinking that it would come in handy for my hack too. It worked so well I would definitely recommend spending the money for the knife because then you have a good kitchen knife when you are done too.

I used spray adhesive to attach the foam to the MDF and set some books (anything with some weight should work) on top while it dried. I wrapped it with the batting and flipped the table upside down and used a staple gun to attach it fairly tight. Be careful that it’s not so tight that it pulls the foam in and creates indentations. Then I wrapped the fabric over the batting and stapled it too.

My finished product.

My completed ottoman and my camouflaged cat

close up of the corners

Here is my son playing on it, see why I couldn’t use the glass that came with it!

Completing this felt pretty good, I’d highly recommend a project like this for any SAHM.